A Talent for Life
A Talent for life is the first episode of the sixth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired 3rd January 2003. Synopsis When two bodies are discovered by the side of a fishing stream, DCI Barnaby and DS Troy have yet more murders to solve. Isobel Hewitt had a zest for life that some can only hope for. She loves to drive her red Jaguar at top speed and generally enjoyed the finer things in life. Although loved by many, there were those in the village of Malham Bridge who weren't quite so charmed by her. Margaret Seagrove was convinced that she was the member of the local fishing club using weighted lures in the local stream. Her nephew and his wife, with whom she resided, saw her as a burden now that she had spent most of her accumulated capital. The second victim is the local doctor, Duncan Goff, a well-known philanderer who had affairs with many of the local ladies. The police must first determine if both were intended victims or if one was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Plot Accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct on the river are bedeviling the game fishermen, and Barnaby has to interview elegant widow Isobel Hewitt, a spendthrift, fast-living, Jaguar-driving 75-year-old, when another lady fly-fisher accuses her of a violent assault. Then Isobel and her fellow villager Dr Duncan Goff are found on the river-bank with their skulls smashed in, and there is no shortage of suspects - including an antique dealer who apparently specializes in befriending elderly widows. Cast *John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby *Daniel Casey as DS Gavin Troy *Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby *Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby *Honor Blackman as Isobel Hewitt *Philip Franks as Quentin Roka *Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard *Jane Downs as Dixie Goff *Richard Durden as Duncan Goff *Alison Rose as Angela Goff *John Warnaby as Keith Scholey *Amanda Root as Ruth Scholey *Jonathan Cullen as Melrose Plunkett *Suzanne Burden as Rebecca Plunkett *Jeff Rawle as Derrick Seagrove *Susan Wooldridge as Margaret Seagrove *Will Knightley as Andrew Turner *James Hazeldine as Leo Bantock *Eileen Page as Beatrice *June Barrie as Gwen Dobson *Robert Putt as Oyster Man *Peter Cellier as Peregrine Slade *Malcolm Raeburn as Steve *Ian Peck as James Tapsell *Sidney Livingstone as Barman / Landlord *Roger Swaine as Customer Galleries Body Count Placeholder person.png|Kenneth Hewitt Died of natural causes prior to the events of the episode. Placeholder person.png|Mrs. Scholey Died from cancer 1 year prior to the events of the episode. Isobel-hewitt.jpg|Isobel Hewitt Clubbed to death with large wooden stake. Duncan-goff.jpg|Dr. Duncan Goff Clubbed to death with large wooden stake. Keith-scholey.jpg|Keith Scholey Died of asphyxiation or exposure after being locked in a walk-in freezer. Supporting Cast Quentin-roka.jpg|Quentin Roka Dixie-goff.jpg|Dixie Goff Melrose-plunkett.jpg|Melrose Plunkett Rebecca-plunkett.jpg|Rebecca Plunkett Derrick-seagrove.jpg|Derrick Seagrove Margaret-seagrove.jpg|Margaret Seagrove Ruth-scholey.jpg|Ruth Scholey Leo-bantock.jpg|Leo Bantock Andrew-turner.jpg|Andrew Turner Peregrine-slade.jpg|Peregrine Slade James-tapsell.jpg|James Tapsell Angela-goff.jpg|Angela Goff Gwen-dobson.jpg|Gwen Dobson Beatrice-a-talent-for-life.jpg|Beatrice Episode Images A-talent-for-life-01.jpg A-talent-for-life-02.jpg A-talent-for-life-03.jpg A-talent-for-life-04.jpg A-talent-for-life-05.jpg A-talent-for-life-06.jpg A-talent-for-life-07.jpg Cullys-car-a-talent-for-life.jpg Video Notes *Although Troy is still prone to utter the occasional insensitive comment, in this episode Tom seemingly shows real appreciation for Troy's contributions to the investigations. The closing scene shows the two walking off with Tom's arm around his young sergeant. *Cully is seen to be driving what looks to be a 1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston which Joyce has nicknamed "Bertie". The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes *Suzanne Burden - The Great and the Good *Jeff Rawle - Dark Secrets *Will Knightley - The Oblong Murders *Malcolm Raeburn - Midsomer Rhapsody and Picture of Innocence *Ian Peck - Picture of Innocence and The Night of the Stag *Sidney Livingstone - Days of Misrule Category:Series Six episodes